How central is a belief in the inefficacy of Psychiatric practices to Scientology? Is it possible to be a Scientologist and still believe that psychiatric drugs have a place in the treatment of psychiatric disorders? Will a belief in the efficacy of psychiatric drugs interfere with any of the processes you undergo as a Scientologist? What’s Scientology’s stand on psychotherapy?
*I’m sure I have just exposed myself as an ignoramus on many counts, so please be gentle.
As I understand it, this particular conviction comes out of the Scientologist view of how the mind/soul works. Essentially, I don’t think they believe in mental illness period, at least not as we conceive of it. All mental illnesses, in their view, are emotional reactions and behaviors that people choose to do based on emotional problems (And they have their own theory of where these anxieties and problems come from then, of course). Admitting that brains could just be wired badly would mean admitting that not all problems are caused by, or can be solved by, their courses and audits and life advice. In a sense, they are in direct competition with modern psychology to a degree that many other mainstream religions are not, at least not as directly.
Put another way, Scientology is, itself, supposed to be a form of psychiatry, or an alternative to conventional MD psychiatry. So Sci’ists can no more acknowledge that conventional psychiatry can be effective in treating mental illness than Baptists can acknowledge that following Islam will get you into Heaven. There’s no room for compromise.
The Scientologist worldview is that Earth is a battleground for the war between Scientology and psychiatry. So, no, a Scientologist cannot really believe that conventional psychiatry has any value.
so are they saying than individual free will is powerful enough to overcome any biological shortcoming?
Thanks for the replies. It was really puzzling for me how much a religion would concern itself with psychiatric practice. I was thinking along the line of conventional religions and looking for an appropriate analogy. That Scientology is more of a therapeutic approach than just simply a religion explains everything.
No, they’re saying that there aren’t “biological shortcomings”, there are only “thetans”, which are the souls of aliens that were blown up in a Hawaiian volcano zillions of years ago, were forced to watch movies and then started attaching themselves to humans, causing all of our problems.
Do they believe this as literal truth or is it revealed to be some kind of a metaphor eventually or perhaps they are led to believe this so they will be able to visualize issues in a different way? I just can’t believe people taking this as literal truth.
I am so sorry I asked :smack:
It is taught by the Church of Scientology as literal truth. I wish I were kidding.
Honestly, is it any crazier than believing in virgin births, talking snakes, 6000 year old earths and all the rest?
–insert South Park–
Good point.
No, it is not possible. To Scientology, psychology is the ultimate evil. Period. End of discussion.
What i don’t understand: cientology makes very explicit claims: hubbard himself said that becoming "clear' will make you a genius (IQ > 140). So how come all the people who spent > 150,000 are not out there winning Nobel proizes? Sceintology is a big con job; how it manages to rope in well-educated young people (university undergrads) , is totally beyond me. i once listened to a Scientology spiel- I broke out lughing! (the kid delivering it was NOT amused). 
Priceguy made an important clarification, but I’d like to add that individual free will isn’t enough; it must be combined with repeated (and expensive) “auditing”, which is how the Church of Scientology makes its money.
On reflection, it’s not too far removed from the selling of indulgences.
Uh, yes, yes it is-it’s vastly different. Especially when you consider that the Church hasn’t sold indulgences in centuries.
Maybe in 1500 years Scientology will stop selling audits in response to internal pressure to do so 
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Well, err, ummm… duh? :rolleyes:
Both are rituals of no demonstrable effect except to make the recipient feel a little better about his problems. I don’t see how removing a sin is significantly different from removing a thetan.
Yes. Yes it is.
But seriously, the important difference between Scientology and other religious mythologies is that Scientology hides all of this stuff. If you walked into a Catholic church and told the priest you were considering converting, he’d discuss Mary, Eden, the resurrection and the rest at great length. If you decided that this stuff was too hard to swallow, well, you haven’t committed yourself (financially, socially, or emotionally) to the Church, and can walk right out the door.
Scientology doesn’t tell you about the crazy stuff into you’ve already bought into the system. At its surface, it’s an alternative to psychotherapy. No different really than Depak Chopra or Dr. Phil. It’s thousands of dollars later that they tell you about the alien ghosts in your head.
True, but the whole purpose of the Catholic church isn’t centered around selling indulgences.
Whereas, in Scientology, the thetan removal is pretty much what they’re all about.